Mukhtar Mai’s case has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan at Islamabad. Ms Mai was just informed by the office of her council Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan. This is an astonishing move. Since 2005, Mukhtar Mai’s case was pending before the Supreme Court without any hearings being scheduled. There continues to be political influence in this case and regular serious threats to her life and the lives of family members in an attempt to pressure her to drop the charges against her perpetrators.

On February 11th, 2009, Mukhtar Mai’s case was indefinitely adjourned for “date in office” (which means the Court reschedules the next hearing depending on the availability of the judges on the bench).

And now, just after the Federal Minister for Defence Production Sardar Abdul Qayyum Jatoi pressured Mukhtar Mai to drop the charges against her perpetrators, this hearing is the third within a month.